Habitat
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The Gypsy Moth originally lived in Europe, but was brought to North America for breeding. It inhabited temperate forests, laying its eggs on and consuming hardwood trees at a rapid rate. Ever since its arrival in North America, it has broadened its habitat preferences and lives in deciduous, coniferous, and temperate forests. It wasn't difficult for these moths to adapt to a new forest type considering their original habitat was simply a mixture of deciduous & coniferous trees, however it would not be able to survive in areas like the tundra or grasslands due to the lack of trees. Now the moth is adapting to consume certain species of shrubs instead of simply trees, meaning a larger region that they can potentially inhabit.
Habitat Requirements:
-Deciduous and/or Coniferous Trees
-Mild Temperature (Hot summers, cool winters)
-Now adapting to colder temperatures in Eastern Canada (Ontario & Quebec region)
-Now adapting to feed on some shrub species
*Note* Gypsy Moths are very sensitive to cold temperatures. This is why their spread has been slower in Ontario and other parts of Canada than it has been in the United States.
-Deciduous and/or Coniferous Trees
-Mild Temperature (Hot summers, cool winters)
-Now adapting to colder temperatures in Eastern Canada (Ontario & Quebec region)
-Now adapting to feed on some shrub species
*Note* Gypsy Moths are very sensitive to cold temperatures. This is why their spread has been slower in Ontario and other parts of Canada than it has been in the United States.
Spread
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Gypsy Moths originated in Europe, however they were brought to Medford, Massachusetts by a man named Étienne Léopold Trouvelot. He planned to breed the moths to silk worms in order to create a new silk worm industry, however the moths escaped his residence and began spreading throughout America. These moths travelled west and spread out in every direction once they reached Wisconsin, making their way up to parts of Eastern Canada and slowly adapting to the colder climate.
The larvae hang from silk threads off trees, and are carried away when the wind blows. Although this does not take them very far, there are hundreds in each egg mass and when fully grown, they end up reproducing in that new area (more moths to spread to different places). Some female moths even lay their eggs on firewood, which is often shipped off to different parts of the country to be sold. The eggs are transferred along with the firewood, making for thousands of baby moths to spread even further.
The map to the left shows the spread of Gypsy Moths over the years. They were only within Massachusetts until 1900, and then they began to move further through the country.
*Note* The Gypsy Moth officially arrived in Ontario, Canada in 1992.
The larvae hang from silk threads off trees, and are carried away when the wind blows. Although this does not take them very far, there are hundreds in each egg mass and when fully grown, they end up reproducing in that new area (more moths to spread to different places). Some female moths even lay their eggs on firewood, which is often shipped off to different parts of the country to be sold. The eggs are transferred along with the firewood, making for thousands of baby moths to spread even further.
The map to the left shows the spread of Gypsy Moths over the years. They were only within Massachusetts until 1900, and then they began to move further through the country.
*Note* The Gypsy Moth officially arrived in Ontario, Canada in 1992.